Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients For Rice

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
  
• Water - 2 cups
  
• Salt - 1/2 Tsp
  
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
  
• Saffron - 2 pinch
  
• Milk - 2 Tbsp
  

For Vegetable gravy

• Oil - 2 Tbsp
  
• Asafetida (hing) - 1/4 Tsp
  
• Cumin seed (Jeera) - 1 Tsp
  
• Chopped tomatoes - 4 medium size
  
• Green chili finely chopped - 2 nos
  
• Shredded ginger - 1 Tbsp
• Ginger & Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
  
• Yogurt (Curd) - 1 1/2 cup
  
• Red chili powder - 1/2 Tsp
  
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
  
• Cubed paneer - 1/2 cup
  
• Chopped cauliflower - 1 cup
  
• Chopped carrots - 1/2 cup
  
• Chopped green beans - 1/2 cup
  
• Chopped green bell pepper - 1/2 cup
• Chopped Potatoes - 1/2 cup
  
• Cashew nuts - 4 Tbsp
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Chopped mint leaves - 1/2 cup
• Chopped coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
  

For Garnish

• Garam masala - 1 Tbsp
  
• Melted butter - 4 Tbsp
  
• Sliced almonds - 4 Tbsp
• Long thinly sliced onions - 1/2 cup
  

Method Rice

• Wash rice gently.
  
• For fluffier rice, the rice should be soaked for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
• Drain the rice.
• In the saucepan add ghee and fry the rice for few minutes. Add water and salt, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
• Cook about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.
• For a few minutes soak saffron in warm milk then gently mix the milk into the cooked rice.

Vegetable And Gravy

• Blend tomatoes to make a puree.
• In a bowl add yogurt, ginger, ginger & garlic paste, green chili, salt, turmeric, chili powder – mix it well.
• Add all the vegetables (cauliflower, beans, bell pepper, carrots, paneer, potatoes and cashews) to the yogurt. Mix it well then let it marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil, if seed cracks right away oil is ready. Add asafetida and cumin seeds.
• After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, and cook on medium-high heat until tomato mixture starts leaving oil and reduces to about half the volume.
• Add the marinated vegetables to tomato puree. Let it cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Stir the vegetables in between so they cook evenly.
• Fry the onions seperately and keep aside.
  

Prepare The Biryani

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
• Take baking dish put half of the cooked vegetables into the baking dish.
• Spread half of the cooked rice over vegetables. Over the rice, sprinkle with mint, coriander leaves and garam masala.
• Pour the remaining vegetables evenly over the rice.
• Spread remaining rice evenly over vegetables.
• Next sprinkle remaining mint, coriander leaves, garam masala, fried onions and sliced almonds evenly over the rice, and then spread melted butter over the entire dish.
• Cover the pan and bake for about 30 minutes.

Even you can cook on stove top on low flame covered for 10-20 minutes (Layering is same as above).